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I agree with your first posting Chris, this is why I read the teachings of O-sensei, and research all I can about Aikido. It's Do, not a Jutsu, so obviously there's more to it than the techniques alone, as otherwise it's just faster to learn Daito-ryu.

Now, by reading what O-sensei wrote on his teachings, I can understand how the uchi-deshi's felt. In the best of circumstances (coffee, comfy chair, warm) all I feel is confusion. In the freezing cold while sitting at seiza will mean I would basically absorb close to zero. This is the reason why Shioda Gozo-sensei codified the teachings of Yoshinkan: he felt so confused with how O-sensei taught that he realized the future students of Aikido isn't gonna be able to follow the teachings properly unless he made a solid progressional system.

I still read those teachings left behind by O-sensei, and I strongly encourage those that have studied with O-sensei to pass down as much of his knowledge as possible so that we can preserve his knowledge, even if we can no longer preserve his skills. I don't understand it now, and maybe I never will understand the majority of what I read. But what I read, I remember in hopes that one day, perhaps during meditation, during training, or when I'm fighting off a knife wielding thug, I will get that moment of profound revelation, just as O-sensei had, and I will recall what O-sensei said with clarity and understanding. Then, if I do recieve such blessings, I would strive to teach what I felt to my own students, in hopes that it gets passed down into the future. This is all O-sensei asked for after all: a world of peace through AIkido. It doesn't matter if we can't fight off ten people, Ueshiba-sensie would rather we learn to make ten friends.

I agree with your first posting Chris, this is why I read the teachings of O-sensei, and research all I can about Aikido. It's Do, not a Jutsu, so obviously there's more to it than the techniques alone, as otherwise it's just faster to learn Daito-ryu.

Now, by reading what O-sensei wrote on his teachings, I can understand how the uchi-deshi's felt. In the best of circumstances (coffee, comfy chair, warm) all I feel is confusion. In the freezing cold while sitting at seiza will mean I would basically absorb close to zero. This is the reason why Shioda Gozo-sensei codified the teachings of Yoshinkan: he felt so confused with how O-sensei taught that he realized the future students of Aikido isn't gonna be able to follow the teachings properly unless he made a solid progressional system.

I still read those teachings left behind by O-sensei, and I strongly encourage those that have studied with O-sensei to pass down as much of his knowledge as possible so that we can preserve his knowledge, even if we can no longer preserve his skills. I don't understand it now, and maybe I never will understand the majority of what I read. But what I read, I remember in hopes that one day, perhaps during meditation, during training, or when I'm fighting off a knife wielding thug, I will get that moment of profound revelation, just as O-sensei had, and I will recall what O-sensei said with clarity and understanding. Then, if I do recieve such blessings, I would strive to teach what I felt to my own students, in hopes that it gets passed down into the future. This is all O-sensei asked for after all: a world of peace through AIkido. It doesn't matter if we can't fight off ten people, Ueshiba-sensie would rather we learn to make ten friends.

Yes, I think that Shioda had the same difficulties - he eventually had to go outside to get explanations of what he had already been taught.

I hope to talk about it more in the future, but I think that it would be a mistake to take the things that Ueshiba said and wrote as purely philosophical or spiritual, but more on that later.

Personally, I didn't find Daito-ryu any faster than anything else, but that may just be a function of my limited learning capacity.

I meant Daito-ryu being faster as in you don't need to learn all the philosophical stuff, but maybe Takeda-sensei do have some of the spiritual training included, not sure...

I certain know that the things O-sensei said isn't just philosphical. He derived it from both his spiritual and martial wisdoms, and he left them behind with the express intention that we learn both from it.

I think he too realized how little his students learned from him, and he might've left those writtings behind for his students, so that when they are ready to learn, they will have something to look at.

I meant Daito-ryu being faster as in you don't need to learn all the philosophical stuff, but maybe Takeda-sensei do have some of the spiritual training included, not sure...

I certain know that the things O-sensei said isn't just philosphical. He derived it from both his spiritual and martial wisdoms, and he left them behind with the express intention that we learn both from it.

I think he too realized how little his students learned from him, and he might've left those writtings behind for his students, so that when they are ready to learn, they will have something to look at.

I've rarely been taught "philosphical stuff" in an aikido class. Progress is slow enough as it is...